Balboa Park
San Diego: Top 5 Attractions
This 1,200-acre park north of downtown San Diego is much more than a venue for outdoor recreation. Since its 1915 opening, Balboa Park has evolved into an important center of arts and culture, with a wealth of museums and performance spaces and one of the nation's most respected zoos. You could spend days exploring the park's many facets, but even if you only have a few hours to spare, you won't regret dipping a toe into this urban treasure.
The zoo and major cultural attractions are clustered in the middle tier of the park, flanked by open green spaces west of the Cabrillo Highway and by the Balboa Park Golf Complex and other sports facilities to the east. Before setting out, it's a good idea to spend some time on www.balboapark.org to get oriented and set some priorities about what museums and attractions you plan to see. Aside from the zoo, which merits a separate trip, park highlights include the Museum of Photographic Arts, the Mingei International Museum, the San Diego Aerospace Museum, the Museum of Man and the Timken Museum of Art.
Depending on how many museums you plan to visit during your stay, it might be worth purchasing a Passport to Balboa Park discount book, which covers entry to multiple museums and is valid for a week. Passport tickets are available at the park visitor center and participating museums. See www.sandiego.balboapark.org for more Balboa Park discount package information.
| 
)
